What Hurts the Most
by Cherie Dennis
Summary: Brucas pairing with hints of other characters and pairings. Set after Brooke breaks up with Luke in The Same Deep Water as You. Rated teen, just incase. [[On HIATUS]]
1. What Hurts the Most

**What Hurts the Most**

Title: What Hurts the Most.

Author: Cherie Dennis.

Summary: Brooke broke up with Lucas, claiming that she couldn't do it anymore. And it was true; she was sick of feeling like she was the only one putting anything into the relationship. She had to let him go, for her own sanity.

Two weeks later, however, she finds herself empty inside. Knowing – or hoping – that it's just post-breakup-blues; she finds herself fighting to stay strong while Lucas continues to fight for her, just like he promised.

With everyone around her trying to help her through this, will she give into their attempts to bring them back together, or will she fight her way through the murky waters to a place she isn't certain she wanted to be in the first place?

Rating: Teen. May change later on.

Pairings: Brucas. Naley. Characters will be seen throughout the story, and other pairings may pop up.

Disclaimer: I do not own OTH, or the songs used in this story. It's based off "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts. Other songs will be credited in the beginning of each chapter.

**Prologue:**

I was the one who broke up with him. I was the one who ended it. So why am I all of a sudden wanting to be with him again? The idea of being with Lucas again is bittersweet. While I was with him, it was the best and worst time of my life.

I'm not sure if I can give my heart to him again. He's broken it so many times in the past, and I'm positive it would happen again. But it's hard to fight that comfort I feel when he's around, and to ignore the looks he gives me.

Maybe just one more shot won't hurt…


	2. The First Step to Recovery

"_I love you Lucas, and I probably always will. But, we go days without having a meaningful conversation. And, I used to miss you so much when that happened. But, it never seemed like you missed me. And, I guess because of it I stopped missing you. I mean, look at today there was a horrible accident and you hadn't even called me... it shouldn't be like this Luke. I'm sorry. I can't do this anymore."_

Brooke Davis woke with a start. She sat up and searched the room with her eyes. Seeing that she was alone, she laid back down, trying to push the memory from her mind. She could feel that familiar ache grow in her heart. Why hadn't he tried to stop her that night? Wasn't he the one that claimed he was the guy for her?

Letting out a heavy breath, Brooke could hear the rain falling onto the roof. She, again, searched the room that she and Rachel shared. With the memory still looming in her mind, she closed her eyes and took in a shaky breath. She could feel her broken heart racing, knowing what was coming. She rolled onto her side, closing her eyes tighter as she clutched the blankets to her chest.

It had been two weeks since the day she ended things with Lucas, and every night she had the same dream. She'd go to his house, break the news to him and leave, trying not to pay attention to the pained look on his face. She wanted so desperately to hold on to him, to get back what they used to have. He just didn't seem to want to put his heart into the relationship. At least, not the way she did.

"Brooke?"

The brunette sat up, quickly pulling herself together. She wiped her eyes quickly with the heels of her hands, knowing that Rachel couldn't see her torn apart like this. She had to keep it together for everyone else. As the red-head came into the room, Brooke looked over and smiled a bit.

**_I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house  
That don't bother me  
I can take a few tears now and then and just let them out  
I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while  
Even though going on with you gone still upsets me  
There are days every now and again I pretend I'm ok  
But that's not what gets me _**

"I'm heading out for the photo shoot. I'll catch you later?" she asked with a tilt of her head. Brooke simply nodded and waved, indicating she would be fine.

As soon as Rachel left, Brooke got up and walked over to bathroom connected to their room. She wrenched on the shower, knowing the water pouring over her body would give her a chance to break down in peace.

**----**

The basketball fell through the net effortlessly and bounced to the ground. Lucas Scott jogged over, letting out a sigh as he bent to pick it up. He dribbled it back to the free-throw line, bouncing it against the wet pavement for a moment. He then threw it again, watching another basket being made.

Ever since he was old enough to pick up a ball, basketball had been his release from everything that was bothering him. But now, with his heart condition, he had to settle with throwing free-throws by himself, usually. Lately, however, the familiar rubber-meets-cement sound couldn't clear his mind.

Just then, he heard a car approaching behind him. He looked over his shoulder, seeing Peyton's car. A small smile came to his lips at the sight of his friend. "Hey, Sawyer," he called out. She got out of the car, pulling her hood closer to her head. "What are you doing out here, Luke? It's pouring!"

He ignored the question as he jogged over, grabbing the basketball again. He then walked over to where Peyton was standing, his hair wet from the rain. "What brings you out here?"

The blonde shrugged a bit, a smile on her face. "There's a party at Tric tonight, and I thought you might want to be invited."

Lucas grimaced a bit, his eyes looking out towards the road. Did he really feel like a party tonight? As if reading his mind, Peyton spoke again, "I'm going to try and get Brooke there. Maybe you two can work things out."

His blue eyes looked back to his friend, his heart skipping a beat at the thought. Would she really forgive him that easily? And if he didn't, was he ready to fight with her. He chewed his bottom lip in thought before taking a deep breath. "Alright. Just promise you won't pull anything sneaky?" he asked, his eyebrows raising slightly.

_**What hurts the most  
Was being so close  
And having so much to say  
And watching you walk away  
And never knowing  
What could have been  
And not seeing that loving you  
Is what I was tryin' to do**_

"Sure. Nothing sneaky," she said with a grin. With that, she turned to walk back to her car. She paused before opening the door, her hand grasping the handle. "It'll work out, Luke. I can feel it."

**---- **

After about thirty minutes of feeling helpless and broken, Brooke decided to get out of the shower. She dried her body off, and then walked back into the bedroom, gathering some clothes. There was a knock on the door as she pulled her pants on and let out an irritated breath. Couldn't they all just leave her alone?

She headed down the stairs, tugging her black tank top onto her body as she did. "Coming," she shouted, hoping they'd wait. The knocking came again, causing Brooke to scowl a bit. "I said I'm coming!"

She pulled open the front door, seeing Haley on the other side. She smiled a bit in apology. "Sorry, Tutor girl, I didn't know it was you." Haley simply shook her head at the apology.

"No worries, Brooke," she said with a smile. "Can I come in?" Brooke nodded and stepped back, shutting the door after Haley was inside.

"There's a party at Tric tonight," Haley explained as she turned to face her friend. "And even if Peyton is throwing it, I think we should go. You need to get out of here and have some fun."

Brooke opened her mouth to protest, but Haley held up a hand. "Nathan and I are going together, and Mouth will be there, too. Rachel is going, but you know she'll be busy with some guy. I really think this will do you good, Brooke. You need to get out there and have some fun again."

_**It's hard to deal with the pain of losing you everywhere I go  
But I'm doin' It  
It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends and I'm alone  
Still Harder  
Getting up, getting dressed, livin' with this regret  
But I know if I could do it over  
I would trade give away all the words that I saved in my heart  
That I left unspoken**_

Brooke took in a deep breath, nodding a bit. "Fine, I'll go. I'm just not going to dress up, okay?" Haley smiled and nodded, throwing her arms around the girl. Brooke hugged her back, fighting the tears again. "I'll see you later, then?" Haley asked as she pulled away. Brooke nodded again, and then watched Haley leave.


	3. Midmorning Sufferings

The back door opened and Karen, who had been sitting at the table writing bills, looked up in surprise. "Lucas?" she asked as he walked through the door. He gave a slight nod before pulling off his soaked hoodie.

"Hey ma," he said as he hung up the sweater on a near-by hook. "You're soaked to the bone!" she said as she stood up, going to the cupboard to grab a mug. She filled it with water, and then slid it into the microwave to make him some tea.

Lucas leaned against the counter, his eyes looking to the floor. "Can I ask you something?" he asked, catching the nod his mom gave from the corner of his eye. He let out a breath before asking, "There's a party tonight at Tric, and Peyton's trying to get Brooke to go. I'm not sure…" he trailed off, unsure if he could continue.

_**What hurts the most  
Is being so close  
And having so much to say  
And watching you walk away  
And never knowing  
What could have been  
And not seeing that loving you  
Is what I was trying to do**_

"Do you think she'll show up?" Karen asked as she stepped towards her son. He gave a slight shrug, his eyes still on the floor. Hearing the beeping of the microwave, she turned to grab his cup. She slipped in a tea bag, letting it steep as she turned back to him. "I think you should follow your heart, Luke. If you think you can work things out, go. There's no sense in staying home tonight anyways."

He let out another breath, his hand sliding to the back of his neck. Lucas closed his eyes, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Thanks for the tea, ma," he said as he pushed away from the counter. "I think I'll just take a shower and a nap though."

Karen gave him another nod, watching his back as he retreated into his bedroom. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to find a way to help him out of this.

**---- **

Hearing a knock at the door, Brooke glanced down at her chocolate ice cream. She had opened a new pint of ice cream today, and within an hour she was almost half way done with it. She pushed it away, dropping her spoon into it as she stood up.

She walked over to the front door and opened it, her eyes widening at the sight of the person on the other side. She quickly went to close the door, only to be stopped by Peyton's hand. The blonde pushed the door open again, ignoring the glare she was getting from her ex-best friend.

"What do you want?" Brooke hissed, her arms crossing over her chest. It was obvious that she didn't want to talk to Peyton.

"Look, I know I'm not your favourite person in the world these days," Peyton started. "No kidding," Brooke said, leaning against the door a bit. The blonde ignored her and continued, "There's a party at Tric tonight. I didn't know if you knew, but Lucas is going to be there."

The look that came to Brooke's face, even though it was for a mere second, showed Peyton that she wanted to be there. It was a mix of pain and excitement, something she really wished she didn't have to have played a part in.

"Well, then I'm sure I'll see you two there together," Brooke said, placing her hand on the door again. "Are you done flaunting your relationship with my ex-boyfriend in front of my face, or do you want to rub some salt into the wounds?"

Peyton let out a sharp breath and shook her head. _Good old Brooke,_ she thought to herself. "Actually, he isn't going with me. Not that it's any of your business," she said.

Brooke merely rolled her eyes and closed the door in Peyton's face. "You can have him," she whispered to the door.

Turning on her heel, she knew that it wasn't true. She wanted so desperately to be with him again, and knowing that he was going to be there tonight made butterflies come to her stomach. At the same time, however, she thought of how easily he had let her go.

Did he ever think about her?

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of him. Glancing towards the kitchen, she let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Ben and Jerry, here I come," she said as she headed towards the kitchen.


	4. Prom Dresses and Complicated Messes

"Brooke, pick up the phone. I know you're there," Rachel's voice carried through the house over the answering machine. Brooke pushed her ice cream away again, figuring now was the perfect time to stop eating anyways.

She walked over to the counter that the phone sat on and picked it up, pushing the 'talk' button. "What?" she questioned Rachel as she went back to clean up her mess.

"Before your ass gets any bigger, put away the ice cream," Rachel replied. Brooke let out a half-hearted laughed as she slid the carton into the freezer and placed the spoon into the sink. "I'm surprised your slutty ass didn't sleep with the photographer," she said back.

Ignoring the comment, Rachel continued with her commands, "Meet me at the mall in about twenty minutes. We need new dresses for the party tonight. Not to mention a couple hot dates," she said.

The brunette sighed into the phone as she headed up the stairs. "I really don't feel like getting a dress," she said, cradling the phone between her ear and her shoulder. "Besides, I'm only going to make an appearance."

"Whatever. Look," Rachel continued, passing cars audible in the distance. "You're getting that ass of yours out the door, assuming it still fits, and you're going to meet me at the mall. Deal with it, whore."

Brooke, hearing Rachel hang up, tossed the phone onto her bed. She grabbed her purse and slid on a pair of black sandals, then headed back downstairs. She locked the door behind her, then got into her car and headed for the mall.

**---- **

Lucas was sitting in a plastic chair, waiting for Peyton to finish gathering clothes. He leaned back a bit, glancing at the arm-full of fabric his friend was carrying. "Do you need anything else? It's just one party," he explained.

The blonde rolled her eyes, tossing a near-by shoe at him. He ducked just in time for it to not hit his head. "Girls need options," she said with a smile. She then headed into one of the dressing rooms, ready to try on the clothes.

With a sigh, Luke stood up and decided to browse the limited male items the store had. His mind wandered quickly to the possibilities the night would bring. He could finally have that chance to make things better with Brooke.

As if on cue, Brooke walked through the store's doors. Her eyes looked over one of the racks of clothes before they landed on him. She seemed to tense immediately. Lucas's eyes lit up slightly at the sight of her and his heart pounded in his chest.

He took a step towards her, but she quickly averted her attention to an ugly looking pea-green prom dress. She kept her eyes down, pretending like she hadn't seen him even though her heart was beating wildly.

"Lucas?" He turned his attention back to the open door Peyton had just stepped out of. She had her head tilted to the side and a confused look on her face, as if she had been asking him a question.

"What?" he asked, trying to ignore the fact that Brooke's attention was focused on them. "What do you think?" Peyton asked, doing a small twirl. Though he could see what she was wearing, it didn't register in his brain.

"That's looks cool," he said with a smile. She nodded and headed back into the dressing room. He quickly turned around and looked at the dress that was swinging slightly on the rack, as if someone had just brushed passed it.

His eyes darted around the store, frantically searching for her. He caught sight of Rachel first, bounding through the doors towards him. She passed without giving him a second glance and he watched her, finally catching sight of Brooke at the other end of the store.

Brooke had her back to him, her arms crossed tightly across her chest. She was obviously uncomfortable and, when Rachel touched her shoulder, she pulled away as if she had been burnt. He could see the confused look on Rachel's face, and then watched as Brooke whispered something to her.

The red-head's eyes glanced his way and he quickly averted his eyes. From the corner of his eye, he watched them walk quickly passed him and out the door. Rachel had her arm around Brooke's shoulders, and the brunette seemed to be ready to break down.

**---- **

"He saw me," Brooke whispered to Rachel once they were out of the store. She was steered over to a bench and, with blurred vision, sat down on it. Rachel sat quickly beside her, her arm wrapping around the girl's shoulders again.

"I can't believe he saw me," she said, trying to hold the tears back. "And he was with her again, Rachel," she hissed, her eyes rising to meet her friend's. "They're together. I know they are."

Rachel shook her head a bit before pulling Brooke in to a hug. "He's not good enough for you, Brooke. You know that," she said gently. The brunette broke down into soft sobs, muffled by Rachel's shoulder.

"You deserve better. Besides," she pulled away from Brooke a bit, her hands on the girl's shoulders as she watched her cry silently now. "He's obviously desperate. I mean, he's going for that skank. How much more pathetic can you get?"

Brooke let out a choked laugh as she wiped her cheeks off. "Have you seen me?" she asked, glancing towards her friend. Rachel smiled but Brooke shook her head, stopping her from saying the smart-aleck remark she'd come up with. "Not now," she explained.

After a moment of composing herself, Brooke stood up and smoothed down her shirt. She took in a deep breath, glancing towards the store. "Shall we go somewhere else to get dresses?" Rachel asked. Brooke looked back towards her, giving her a slight nod. "I think that'd be best."

The red-head nodded in agreement and stood up, linking her arm through Brooke's. They walked slowly through the mall, scoping out the stores for a decent dress. The brunette, however, knew that no dress in the world would make her feel any better.


	5. Can I Give You Some Advice?

Lucas was laying down on the cool, wet pavement of the River Court's basketball court, the ear buds of his iPod in his ears. The sound of Nickelback's "Far Away" was supposed to help him push the thoughts of Brooke from his mind. Instead, it just brought back that image of her trying to hold back the pain as she walked out of the store.

_**Just one chance  
Just one breath  
Just in case there's just one left  
'Cause you know,  
you know, you know**_

_**That I love you  
I have loved you all along  
And I miss you  
Been far away for far too long  
I keep dreaming you'll be with me  
and you'll never go  
**_

He ripped the ear phones from his ears, scowling up at the darkened sky. Why did things have to turn out this way? He wanted to be with her desperately, and he wasn't even sure why he hadn't fought for her that night. He could hear her words echoing in his mind, those same ones that he had been repeating to himself over and over again…

Just then, a shadow came across him. He leaned his head back, seeing the upside down image of his younger brother. Nathan gave him a slight nod, watching as Lucas sat back up. The blonde stood up, brushing himself off even though it did no good; his clothes were soaked through.

"What are you doing out here?" Nathan asked, feeling the rain pelt against his head. Lucas shrugged a bit as he walked over to the near-by picnic table, sitting down on it. He put his elbows on his knees and put his face into his hands.

"I screwed up, Nate. Bad," he said with a heavy sigh. The raven-haired boy shook his head as he walked over, sitting beside his brother. He pulled his hood over his head, even though he knew it wouldn't do much good.

"What'd you do this time? Knock someone up?" he asked, half-joking. Lucas let out a low groan, not finding the humor in it. "Sorry," Nathan said.

The blonde leaned back on his hands now, looking out over the River Court. "I didn't fight for her," he said softly, shaking his head. "I said I would, but I didn't. I just let her go."

Nathan nodded a bit, knowing the feeling all too well. After a moment of silence he looked over at Lucas. "It's not too late. You can still fight for her," he said softly.

**---- **

Brooke was sitting in Karen's Café, staring blankly into her cup of hot chocolate. Had she just been imagining the look in Lucas's eyes when he spotted her? Or was that loving look he had real? And if it was real, was it meant for her?

She shook her head, taking in a deep breath as she tried to push the thoughts away. She practically fell out of her chair as the sound of another seat being pulled back on the tile. Haley sat down at the table, letting out an exhausted breath.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked, indicating the still-full cup of hot chocolate, which was probably room temperature by now. Brooke let out an exhausted breath as well, though she wasn't the one working.

"It's nothing," she said softly, seeing the skeptical look Haley gave her. She shook her head, looking down at her drink again. "I saw him at the mall," Brooke whispered, "with Peyton."

Haley reached over, placing a hand caringly on top of Brooke's. The brunette closed her eyes, trying to fight back the tears she could feel coming. "They are friends, Brooke," Haley said softly. She could feel the girl's hand tense beneath her own.

"I know that, Tutor Wife," she said bitterly, her eyes opening again to glare at the girl. Haley almost jumped back at the emotions swimming in her friends eyes. "I just wish they didn't have to friends in front of my face," she stated.

Haley pulled her hand away, letting her eyes drop to the table for a moment. She could practically feel Brooke's pain and anger radiating from the girl's body. "I'm sorry," she said quietly, looking back up at her friend.

The brunette let out a sigh as she shook her head. "I should be sorry," she muttered, "It's not your fault Peyton's a back-stabbing bitch." Brooke gathered her things, slipping a few dollars to Haley. "I'll see you at the party tonight," she said before turning around and heading out the door.

Haley sat there; dumbfounded by the shift of moods she just caught from Brooke. She watched the girl walk away, knowing she had to do something to get her and Lucas back together. The only question now was what.


	6. Preparing for Heartbreak

Brooke stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair absentmindedly. Her attention was not focused on the brush in her hand, or what she was going to wear, but where she was going. And, more importantly, who was going to be there.

Her red-headed roommate came busting through the bathroom door, a look of excitement on her face. "Come on," she whined, "we're going to be late!" The brunette looked over at her, unable to fight of the happy vibes her friend was putting off.

She set the brush down on the counter, looking towards the mirror. Rachel scoffed and walked away, knowing Brooke wouldn't be done for another ten minutes at the least. Smoothing her black dress down, the brunette let out a heavy breath.

The dress was simple but looked good on her. The neck line, cut into a v, was just deep enough to show the perfect amount of cleavage, and the bottom rested at the perfect spot on her thighs. But, as she fixed her mascara, she couldn't help but feel completely wrong.

Even with Rachel spotting several guys at the mall and trying to convince Brooke to ask one of them out, she just couldn't get back to feeling like herself. After seeing Lucas there with **her**, she couldn't shake the pain that ached through out her body.

She shook the thoughts from her mind, letting her hair fall over her shoulders. She walked out of the bathroom, slipping on a pair of basic black heels, and grabbed her purse. "Come on," Rachel whined from the other room, "let's go!"

Brooke headed down the stairs where the red-head stood, keys in hand. She followed her roommate out the door and into her car, her eyes looking out the window into the darkening night. Why was she going to this party again?

**---- **

Lucas had decided on a simple blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans, both of which didn't lean too far on the side of dressy or casual. He couldn't keep his heart beating a normal rate as he sat on his bed, staring at the clock. Was she going to be there?

He had left the River Court earlier, knowing that Nathan was right; it wasn't too late to fight. Now, he thought to himself, to just figure out how to get her back. His thoughts, however, were interrupted at the sound of a knock on his bedroom door.

Karen stepped in, leaning against the wall for a moment. "So you are going?" she asked, indicating the way her son was dressed. Lucas gave a slight nod as he stood up. "Do me a favor?" she asked.

Lucas pushed his hands into his pockets, watching his mom, curious as to what she wanted this time. "Sure, Ma," he replied, waiting for her to continue. He fiddled nervously with the keys in his pocket.

"Follow your heart," Karen said with a soft smile, "but use your head. And know that, no matter what you do, I will be here to support you." She walked over to her son, pulling him into a loving hug.

Once he broke away, Lucas gave his mom a smile. "Of course I will," he said gently. After kissing her cheek lightly he walked to the other door in his room. He stopped with his hand on the door knob and turn to face his mom again. "Don't stay up," he said with a smile before opening the door and disappearing into the twilight.


	7. And I'll Cry If I Want To

Brooke was sitting at one of the tables in Tric, her eyes focused on the drink that Rachel had gotten her. The red-head had disappeared moments after dropping off the refreshment and Brooke knew that she had spotted some gorgeous guy. She shook her head a bit, surprised at how alike they were. Well, the Brooke that she used to be before meeting Lucas.

The girl let out a heavy sigh at the thought of him. She stirred her drink absentmindedly with the small, red straw that was sitting in the glass. Losing herself in her memories, she could see him so clearly at the beach, professing his love for her. "I know we're just part-time, that's cool. You know, do whatever, have your fun," he had said to her, "but one of these nights, you're gonna realize it. I'm the guy for you, Brooke Davis."

The part that seemed to hurt her the most was that she believed him. And for a while, he **was** the guy for her. But then Peyton had pulled him away, again, and she'd decided to let go instead of letting them rub their relationship in her face.

As if on cue, the curly blonde-haired girl walked onto the stage and approached the microphone. "How is everyone tonight?" she asked, only to be greeted by a loud yell from the crowd, their voices morphing into one. Peyton let out a laugh before asking, "Are you all ready for Sarah McLachlan?" The crowd once again let out a shout, one that sounded like a strangled 'Yeah!'

Brooke took a sip of her drink, feeling the alcohol Rachel as slipped into it burn at her throat. She coughed a bit into her hand as Haley and Nathan approached with their hands together between them. She gave them a smile as they sat down at her table, their fingers still intertwined.

"You don't want to drink that," Brooke said as Haley picked up the glass she had just set down. She sent the brunette a confused look to which she stated, "Rachel spiked it." Haley gave a nod, setting it back down onto the table. Haley leaned into Nathan a bit as he looked over the crowd of people.

"Have you seen him yet?" Haley asked as she watched Brooke look over the crowd. The brunette's eyes landed on her friend, a faint blush coming to her cheeks. "I haven't been looking," she mumbled before taking a large drink from her glass.

The sounds of Sarah McLachlan could be heard from the stage, a bit quieter up where they were seated. Nathan kissed the top of Haley's head before muttering something about someone he had to talk to. As he passed Brooke, he lovingly squeezed her shoulder, causing tears to spring to her eyes. She couldn't help but feel pathetic, knowing that both Haley and Nathan could sense her pain.

Haley leaned across the table, placing her hand gingerly on top of her best friend's. "Brooke," she said quietly, watching the brunette's eyes raise to meet hers. "I know that you still love him. You need to try to work things out with him before you lose him completely. And I know," Haley continued despite the efforts of Brooke to interrupt, "that he can be stubborn, but I also know that he loves you. Believe me, I'm like his sister. More so now than ever, but that's beside the point. Just please, promise you'll talk to him tonight?"

Brooke, with her free hand, raised her glass to her lips and she downed another large drink of the liquid. It was now half-empty and Brooke, who hadn't eaten anything, was starting to feel just the slight buzz. She nodded a bit to Haley, knowing that protests would be pointless. "I'll try," she said softly.

**---- **

Lucas stepped into the club, hearing the music floating over the crowd of people from the stage. He ran a hand over his hair, glancing around a bit. His blue eyes searched over the mass of bodies, trying to find the one person that he wanted to see. After a few minutes, with no luck whatsoever, he let out a heavy sigh.

He pushed his way further into the club towards the bar and he sat down, seeing one of the bartenders behind it. "Water, please," he said when she glanced his way. He closed his eyes for a moment as he rubbed his forehead, trying to figure out what to do now.

"Hey," said a voice beside him and he opened his eyes, seeing Peyton sitting to his right. Lucas gave her a slight nod, taking the glass from the woman. "Hey," he replied before taking a drink.

Peyton bumped her shoulder against his gently, flashing him a smile. "What's got you so down?" she asked, her elbows resting on the bar. She knew exactly what was wrong (she had seen Brooke at the mall, watching them) but she didn't want to admit it.

"It's Br… It's nothing, Peyton," he said with a shake of his head. What was the use of telling anybody? He'd already lost her, and now he was just nursing a broken heart. "I don't believe that," she said as she stood up, "but I'll let you wallow alone in your water for now. I have some stuff to attend to," she said before giving him a brief hug.

Lucas stood up with the glass in his hand, dropping a few dollars onto the bar top. He stepped through the crowd again, heading towards the tables along the sides of the club. As if by magic his eyes fell on Brooke's form, sitting across from his best friend. His heart soared in his chest, beating wildly at the thought of her actually being just a few feet away from him.

He walked towards her table only to be stopped by a hand grabbing hold of his jacket. "I thought I lost you," Peyton's voice came from behind him. Lucas let out a few choice words beneath his breath before he turned around unwillingly.

"I know this probably isn't the best time," Peyton said, ignoring the fact that Brooke was seated a few feet from them. "I need to tell you this, though. So please, Luke, just hear me out."

Lucas leaned against a near-by pole, fighting the urge to turn around and walk towards Brooke. Peyton rambled on for a few moments, talking about how she and Lucas were really good friends and he meant a lot to her, etc. He was about ready to interrupt when she stated, "I love you, Lucas. I've loved you ever since we first met."

He had no time to reply before Peyton pulled him into a kiss. His eyes widened in shock as he stood there for a moment, stunned. Somewhere behind him he could hear a loud gasp and somehow he knew that Brooke had been watching.

Sure enough, as he tried to pull away, he could see the brunette walking quickly towards the exit. Lucas finally broke free and he glared at Peyton. "What the hell is your problem?" he asked, not giving her time to reply before he went after Brooke.

**---- **

Brooke had been sitting at the table, talking to Haley about what all she had to do for the party. Then, all of a sudden, she could see her friend's eyes grow a bit wider as she looked past her. The brunette turned in her seat just in time to see Peyton kissing Lucas.

A gasp came from her mouth before she had time to control it and she quickly pushed her chair back, feeling the familiar sting of tears at her eyes. How dare he get that close to her just to make out with his new girlfriend?! She walked briskly past them, fighting the urge to look at them as well as holding her tears in check.

It seemed like days passed as she pushed her way through the crowd. Brooke finally found the exit and pushed open the door, collapsing on the top step of the stairs. Her throat was burning with emotions as she squeezed her eyes shut, praying that no one had seen her.

Her head pounded as she rested her forehead onto her knees, trying to breathe deeply. She wanted so badly to get out and go back to Rachel's house, but she didn't have a car and she didn't have any money on her. Why did she decide to come to this party?

The door opened behind her, but she remained seated the way she was. "Please, don't let it be Lucas," she whispered against her legs. The person sat down beside her, keeping as much space between them as was possible on the narrow step.

"Brooke?" Lucas asked tentatively, positive that at the sound of his voice she would sit up and slap him. The brunette tensed beside him, her hands gripping her legs as she tried to scoot further away from him.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled, her voice a bit muffled from the position she was in. The blonde let out a heavy sigh as he rested his head against the wall. Inside he could hear the crowd singing along with Sarah.

What was he going to do now?


	8. Nowhere Left to Turn

**Heaven bent to take my hand  
And lead me through the fire  
Be the long awaited answer  
To a long and painful fight**

**Truth be told I've tried my best  
But somewhere along the way  
I got caught up in all there was to offer  
And the cost was so much more than I could bear**

**Though I've tried, I've fallen...  
I have sunk so low  
I have messed up  
Better I should know  
So don't come round here  
And tell me I told you so...**

**- Sarah McLachlan – "Fallen"**

Brooke was sprawled out on Haley's couch, watching but not really seeing some show on VH1 about the best and worst dressed celebrities at some red carpet event. Beside her, on the coffee table, was a half empty tub of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food ice cream, the spoon sticking out of the top. She held a pillow close to her chest and her cheeks were stained with tears that finally, after an hour, had stopped.

"What am I going to do with her?" Haley asked from her bedroom, watching Nathan get dressed after his shower. "I don't know," he replied as he sat down beside his wife, wearing a pair of gray pajama pants. She leaned into him, her head resting against his shoulder as he kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"I wish they would both stop being so stubborn," she whispered, "I mean, Lucas loves her and she loves him, too. Why can't they just admit that to each other?" she asked, her eyes closing as she let out a heavy sigh.

Nathan gently rubbed her side, holding her close to him. "Maybe they haven't admitted it to themselves yet," he suggested with another small shrug. Haley looked up at him, a look on her face that told him he was right. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment before giving him a quick kiss.

"Thank you," she said as she stood up, his eyes following her. "Hales, where are you going? It's one in the morning," he said as he reached out a hand for her. She stepped away and shook her head. "I need to talk to Lucas," she said before placing another kiss on his pouting lips.

"Keep an eye on Brooke for me, will you?" she asked, seeing him nod a bit as he stood up and grabbed a shirt. He pulled it on, and then followed Haley out of the room. Brooke's eyes, slightly red and puffy, were focused on the television still, though Nathan and Haley both knew she wasn't paying attention.

"Hey Tigger," Haley said as she made her way over to her friend. The brunette's eyes looked up, focusing on her best friend's worried face. "I'm gonna head out for a bit, but Nathan's going to keep you company, okay?" she asked.

Brooke sat up, giving her a slight nod. "I'm sorry for intruding," she said, glancing from Haley to Nathan and back again. "I just don't think I can deal with Rachel right now. She's probably got some guy at the house, and I don't want to listen to it," she explained. "At least, not again," she added.

Haley leaned down and took Brooke into her arms, squeezing her lovingly. "It'll be okay," she whispered into the girl's hair. The brunette gave a nod before pulling away, fighting another round of tears. As Haley walked towards the door, Nathan sat down on the couch and hesitatingly put his arm around Brooke's shoulder.

After pulling on her coat, Haley gave them a small wave and slipped out the door. Brooke leaned into Nathan, her head against his chest as he stroked her back lovingly. They had come to form a brother-sister relationship, what with Haley and Brooke being together almost constantly.

"You gonna be okay, Davis?" he asked, feeling her nod a bit. "I think so," she said weakly, though she tried her best to sound upbeat. Though he knew asking would just open a can of worms, Nathan knew he needed to hear what happened. If she told him, then he might be able to do something to help them out.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice soft. He felt Brooke tense against him before she pulled back, pulling her knees to her chest. "You really want to know?" she asked, glancing over at him, watching him give a slight nod. Though he didn't understand it, he knew that when Brooke and Lucas were together, it was the happiest that he'd ever seen them.

_Lucas, despite Brooke's request, stayed seated beside her. She could still feel him there, and she tried desperately to ignore him. The attempt was pointless, however, when he cleared his throat and started talking._

"_Look," he said softly, "I know you saw Peyton kissing me." He ignored the extra tension that came to Brooke's shoulders as he continued, "It isn't what you think, though. I swear it isn't. We were just friends, nothing more. She just all of a sudden –" he stopped talking when he noticed Brooke's head shoot up._

_She glared at him, all the pain she felt obvious in her eyes. "Why are you even explaining yourself to me?" she asked, standing up quickly. "It's not like we're together anymore, so if you want to kiss her, go for it," she said. Brooke quickly made her way down the rest of the stairs, making it to the bottom before it hit her; she had no way of leaving unless she wanted to walk._

_Lucas followed her down the steps, his hand reaching out to take hold of her arm. She pulled away quickly, turning to glare at him again. "Just leave me alone," she yelled into his face before turning again. She started walking towards the road, knowing that she wouldn't make it very far in the shoes she was wearing._

"_Brooke, wait!" he called after her, jogging up to be by her side. "I know that we're not together anymore, but I need to make sure you understand this. Even if you don't care about me anymore, I care about you," he said. That single sentence, however, caused Brooke to stop walking._

"_I'm still in love with you, Brooke. I always have been, and I'm sure I always will be," he said. "When you broke up with me, I didn't chase after you. I don't know why I didn't, or why I couldn't be there for you the way you needed me to be, but I know I made a huge mistake. You're the one I need to be with."_

_Brooke kept her back to him as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the urge to turn around and confess her love for him. She couldn't do that, not after two weeks of suffering. She was the one who ended it, and she couldn't take the chance of giving him her heart again._

"_I don't want to be with Peyton. I don't want to be with anyone else. Just you," he said, his voice growing soft. Brooke turned now, only to see Peyton coming down the stairs. She glared over Lucas's shoulder at the blonde, seeing the pain on her ex-best friend's face._

_She pushed past Lucas and walked quickly over to Peyton. Before the blonde had a chance to even look up, Brooke's hand came across her cheek so hard that she stumbled back in surprise and pain. Her green eyes looked at Brooke, tears spilling out of them._

"_You little slut," Brooke hissed between clenched teeth. "It's bad enough that you kissed Lucas while I was with him, but then you had to come over to my house to invite me to this stupid little party just so you can kiss him again in front of me."_

_Peyton stood still, her hand on her cheek as she listened to Brooke. "Stay the hell away from me," Brooke said, looking over at Lucas as she added, "both of you." She looked back to the girl in front of her, her eyes narrowing even more. "I feel sorry for him, you know. You'll just end up killing him with your love, just like you did everyone else."_

_Brooke pushed past Peyton now, ignoring the pained look on her face. She stomped up the stairs and headed into Tric, knowing that she probably just hurt two of what she once thought to be the most important people in her life. And though she felt a bit guilty, she couldn't help feeling like they had it coming._

_Brooke pushed her way back to the table where Haley and Nathan were now seated, arguing over something about their child. The brunette sat down in the chair, her exhaustion obvious to the other two as she rested her head down on the table._

"_What's wrong, Tigger?" Haley asked, her hand reaching out to touch Brooke's. The brunette, with her head still down, mumbled into the table, "Can I stay with you guy tonight? Please?"_

"_Of course," Nathan had said before Haley had a chance to speak. And before she knew it, Brooke was sitting on the couple's couch, sobbing into Haley's shoulder._

Nathan stayed quiet through out Brooke's story, watching her crumple up again into a ball once she was done. He slipped his arm around her again, pulling her tight against him as she sobbed into her knees.

He made a silent vow as he rubbed Brooke's back that he, with the help of Haley, would do everything in his power to help them out. He could tell that the girl in his arms needed his brother just as much as he needed her.

**---- **

A soft knock could be heard on Lucas's door, and though he was still awake, he had no desire to open it. A few minutes later, however, the door was slowly pushed open, only for him to see Haley's head poking through.

"Hey buddy," she said softly, seeing that he was still awake. She stepped into his room, watching him toss the mini basketball up into the air. She walked over and sat down gently on the edge of his bed.

"It's one in the morning, Haley," he said, his voice angrier than he had intended. Haley kept the hurt off her face, knowing that he didn't mean to direct his anger at her. She reached out and grabbed the ball in mid-throw, causing Lucas to finally look at her.

"I would wait until tomorrow," she said, holding the ball in her hand, "but I can't listen to Brooke's sobs any more." He looked away at the mention of his ex, his eyes looking up towards the ceiling again. Leave it to Haley to rub salt into his wounds unintentionally.

"Look, Lucas, I don't know what happened tonight, but whatever it was, it really hurt Brooke. You need to either leave her alone or get your ass over there and convince her to be with you again," she said as she rolled the ball in her hands.

Lucas sat up suddenly, pushing himself back against the wall. "It's not that easy, Hales," he said after a moment. "I'm trying to win her back, but she won't listen to me. It's doesn't help that Peyton shows up," he added in an annoyed tone.

Haley couldn't help but laugh at that. "You need to work things out with her, too," she said, looking over at Lucas. "Clear things up, make sure she knows that you're only friends. If you're going to even be that, anymore."

"I know how to work things out with Peyton," Lucas said, "but I don't know what to do about Brooke." He reached a hand up, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to think of something. She wouldn't listen to him, even if he talked until he was blue in the face and gasping for air.

Haley slid up the bed to sit beside him, smiling a bit as he rested his head on her shoulder. She patted his knee lovingly as she rested her head against his. "I've tried over and over again to tell her how I feel," Lucas said with an exhausted sigh.

"So don't try to tell her," Haley replied, "show her how much she means to you." Lucas nodded a bit against her, knowing that it would be the best way. The only question now was how to go about it.


	9. Crash Into You

The next morning, Brooke awoke to a pounding headache as she pushed herself off Nathan and Haley's couch. Her brown eyes, squinting as the sunlight came through the window, searched the apartment.

It sounded like the couple was still asleep, so she knew that she could sneak away. The many nights she spent with random guys, and the mornings after where she had to leave without them waking, seemed to be paying off now.

She quickly gathered her stuff, fighting off the aching of her head, and scrawled a note to two of her favourite people in the world. She slipped into her shoes and left the apartment, the door closing without a noise. Once safely outside, she made her way into the parking lot, searching her purse for her keys.

After finding the right key, and unlocking the doors, Brooke slid into her car and started the ignition. She backed out of the parking lot, her eyes watching the road as she searched her purse for her cell phone. Finding it, she pulled it out and flipped it open, dialing the number of Rachel's home phone.

Cradling the phone between her ear and her shoulder, the brunette leaned over a bit, messing with the radio. "I know you don't care," Brooke said, speaking to the answering machine that had picked up, "but I stayed over at Haley's last night. I'm on my way home now, so whomever you've got in the bedroom better be gone when I get there."

She flipped the phone closed and tossed it back into her purse, her eyes focusing now on the radio. Certain that she had control of the car, she leaned a bit closer to the buttons, switching from one station and back again.

By the time she'd looked back up at the road, seeing the black truck headed straight towards her, it was too late to move back into her lane. The last thing Brooke heard was the breaking glass and the deafening sound of her scream.

**---- **

Lucas, still unable to drift into a decent sleep, had decided to head down to the River Court. He was headed over to Haley and Nathan's to see if his brother wanted to go play some basketball, even though he'd already been shooting hoops for about an hour, when he heard the sound of squealing breaks.

He stopped in the middle of the crosswalk, his blue eyes searching the street for a brief moment. It didn't take him long to recognize the Volkswagen Bug, practically wrapped around the truck that had hit it. He ran over, faster than he thought possible, as the man climbed out of the bigger of the two vehicles.

"I didn't even see her," the man explained, watching Lucas try to pry open the driver's side door. When he'd gotten closer, his worst fear had been practically shoved into his face; there was Brooke's limp body, leaning heavily against the steering wheel, a large gash on her forehead.

The blonde, ignoring the other man, finally pried open Brooke's door. "Call an ambulance," he hissed to the guy, his arms wrapping carefully around the brunette's body. A sick feeling rose in his stomach as her head, just as lifeless as the rest of her, rolled against his chest.

With her in his arms, and the other guy calling for some help, Lucas made his way to the side of the road. He carefully laid Brooke down onto the ground, almost like he would a porcelain doll, and he raised a hand to her already bruised cheek.

"Brooke," he called out to her, the pain in his voice obvious as he tried to wake her. After a few, excruciatingly long minutes, the sirens could finally be heard, quickly approaching the accident site. Lucas lifted his head from Brooke's chest, where he'd been listening intently to her heart beat, and glanced over to see the other guy approaching.

"Is she okay, man?" he asked, nodding down towards the brunette. Lucas looked down at her, his hand slipping into hers. "I'm not sure," he said softly, his voice laced with heartache. He could see the guy shifting his feet beside him, obviously worried about the whole situation.

The ambulance and police car finally showed up, pulling to a stop near the wrecked vehicles. The paramedics raced out, another two pulling the gurney out of the back of the ambulance. Pushing Lucas aside, they checked Brooke for vital signs. Happy with the results they got, they quickly and carefully lifted her onto the gurney that had appeared behind them.

Then the questions started, directed more towards the other person who had been in the accident. After answering a few of his own, Lucas was permitted to leave. The ambulance had already left, racing towards the hospital, and the blonde knew he had to get there to be with Brooke when she woke up. Who else was going to be there?

**---- **

A few hours later, Brooke slowly awoke to the brightness of an unfamiliar room. The scent of cleaning supplies hit her nose, causing a wave of nausea to pass over her. Then, as the room slowly came into focus, she realized she was in one of the hospital rooms.

She lifted her head slightly, fighting the dizziness it caused as she looked down at her right hand. The tubes coming from it, and the identification bracelet just proved she was there. But what, she wondering, had happened to bring her here?

Then, as if it hadn't been there before, Brooke felt a strange warmth against her left hand. Even in her drugged state, she didn't need to look over to see whose hand the heat came from. She had felt that same touch so many times, and longed for it some many times, that it seemed like a dream.

"Hey Cheery," came Lucas's voice from her left, just as she suspected. The brunette's eyes closed heavily, trying to fight away the emotions running through her body now. What was going on? She gently tugged her hand free from the blonde grasp, finding it a bit easier to think without the feel of him touching her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, noting the hoarseness of her voice. She cleared her throat gently, wincing a bit as a searing pain coursed through her head. Brooke reached up, gently feeling the bandage wrapped around her head. Perfect, she thought to herself.

"I told you I'd save you," Lucas said, breaking her thoughts. This caused her to open her eyes and, a little to quickly, look over at him. Fighting another wave of nausea, Brooke kept her eyes on Lucas's face. She could see the fear and worry in his eyes, though they still held the same loving look he'd always had when he looked at her.

"What happened?" she asked, knowing she didn't have the energy to fight him right now. He leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Brooke's face. "You were in an accident," he said, his voice soft. "The other guy is fine and said that his insurance company will pay for everything. You, on the other hand," he said in a softer voice.

He leaned forward again, brushing his fingertips lightly over the bruise on her otherwise perfect cheek, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips. "You're pretty beat up," he finished, his eyes locking on Brooke's. She was the first to break the connection, her eyes looking out the window instead.

"What were you doing there?" she asked, making sure to keep her voice light. Lucas leaned back in his seat again, letting his hand rest on the bed railing. "I was headed over to Haley's when I heard the crash," he said point blankly. "I pulled you out of the car to make sure you weren't de-" His voice broke as he tried to speak that one word.

Clearing his throat, he looked around the bare hospital room. "I don't think you'll be in here for too long," he said after a few awkward minutes of silence. "From what they would tell me, you just had a concussion and they wanted to make sure you were okay."

Brooke gave a slight nod, her eyes looking over towards the door. A sudden pang of loneliness washed over her as she found herself wishing for her parents. Feeling the pain killers start to kick in again, she looked over to Lucas as he stood up.

"I'd better get going," he said as he walked over to the door, "you need your rest." Brooke's hand lifted, as if controlled by someone other than her, and she reached out though she knew she couldn't touch him. "Stay," she said weakly, her hand falling back down to her side. "You know how I hate hospitals."


End file.
